>> welcome back. earlier we asked who you thought was the star of this year's olympics. uba tweeted gabby douglas. what an inspiration. if not missy franklin, then gabby douglas. rosemary had a smart peek. the people keeping the place clean. who do you think is the star of this year's olympics? keep the tweets coming. tweet me at randi kaye cnn. thanks for starting your morning with us. we have more on this saturday morning that starts right now. from cnn world headquarters in atlanta a this is cnn saturday morning. job numbers are up and so is unemployme unemployment. each puts his spin on the new report, we will give you the faxes and what it means for the econo economy. we are number one here, but nowhere close here.

all morning we put education in focus. why in the world is our system ranked lower than ireland, saudi arabia, and uzbekistan. did you see this? the happiest olympic worker has an interesting approach to rousing the crowd. we decided to see if the same trick in london would work in new york. happy saturday, everyone. i'm randi kaye and it's 7:00 on the east coast and 4:00 out west. extreme weather and wildfires and at least four major fires burning. we talked to the official at the department of emergency management and said the drought played a big part in all of this

and said hundreds of homes are being threatened by these fires. they are preparing to send more resources to fight the fires today. other extreme weather, tropical storm ernesto is moving west right now. the storm hit the windward islands with heavy rain and 60 mile per hour winds. right now it's around 300 miles south of puerto rico. ernesto is expected to strengthen into a hurricane sometime tomorrow, but the latest tracks don't have it reaching the u.s. in syria the fierce fighting rages on a day after the un general assembly resolution condemned for its actions against its people. the forces and military waged a battle for control of the government-run and radio studios. opposition forces reportedly took partial control of the media building, but had to withdraw because of sniper fire and shelling as well. rebel forces report that six unidentified bodies including two children were found executed

near the damascus neighborhood. to politics in the u.s. the july jobs report provided a lot of fodder for both sides. >> good morning, randi. a mixed bag. the unemployment level edged up, the number of new jobs more than double created in june. we have two very different takes from president obama and republican challenger mitt romney. >> we're got a new number from the unemployment report. it's another hammer blow because the president has not had policies that put american families back to work. i do. i will put them in place and get america working again. >> now created 4.5 million new jobs over the last 29 months. 1.1 million new jobs so far this year. those are our neighbors and family members fining work and the security that comes with

work. but let's acknowledge, we still have too many folks who are looking for work. >> with this election all about the economy, it's the top issue on the minds of voters and jobs are the top economic concern. the unemployment numbers get picked apart and there three more reports to come before the november election. who do americans think would do a better job creating jobs. romney had a six-point advantage in a recent gallup survey. the candidates argued over jobs and who was a better friend to the middle class, romney and harry reid continue their war of words over romney's tax returns. >> harry reid has to put up or shut up. who are your sources? >> the fist fight broke uh earlier when the top senate democrat accused romney of not paying taxes. >> the word is out he hasn't paid any taxes for ten years. let him prove he has paid taxes.

>> said he got the info from a credible source and won't say more. romney said he paid his taxes. >> i paid taxes every year. a lot of taxes. a lot of taxes. harry is simply wrong. >> here stands by his decision not to release any tax returns prior to 2010. >> mitt romney can add a heavy weight to his list of supporters. clint eastwood came out in sun valley, idaho. he is counting on romney to fix the tax system. he kept quiet about his presidential preference and played a little bit with it with reporters. >> why you decided to endorse the governor. >> i haven't endorsed the governor. i just -- because i think the country needs a boost somewhere. >> president obama has his own star power in first lady michelle obama.

she was in new hampshire where she delivered this message to voters. >> when people ask you what this president has done for our country, here's what you tell them. tell them how many jobs he created. tell them how much money he has put back in the pockets of american people. remind folks how barack ended the war in iraq and passed historic health reform and stood up for the most fundamental rights again and again and again. that's what i want you to tell them. >> president obama is not campaigning this weekend. it is his 51st birthday today. he is spending the weekend at camp david. i celebration is planned in his hometown of chicago. summer is quickly coming to an end and that means the new school year is about to begin. a couple of style network's newest stars to share their tips on going back to school in style.

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>> summer break is coming to an end. for millions of students that means me to head back to school. many look forward to a new look and i'm about to introduce you to a couple of experts you may recognize from the style network's chicagolicious. >> this is how you do it the mac ray way. you get the rhinestones and this is like a piece of a necklace i put and put it all and boom, there you go. >> i don't know what i'm wearing. i don't know what to expect. >> me either. i'm going to do me. >> no, this has to be more than me. a lot more than me. i got to see this shoulder piece. >> it's nasty. you are going to love it.

>> back to school make every tips so we can all achieve that chicagolicious look. good morning. one of the trends we are seeing a lot of people starting to bear bangs. is that really a hot trend? >> i feel it is. she usually has bangs and they are precise, but she has it down to a science. for back to school i wouldn't suggest you get a straight even bang, but a little longer and a little so when you pull it back, it looks better and frames your face. >> a softer bang. >> yeah, softer. >> what about this. for the moms who are watching, their girls are going back to school and some teenage girls just don't know how much to do it first. if they should keep it simple or not. what is age approprte? >> for make up i think for teens, the best thing is most

girls are really into foundation. the best thing for someone starting off is a tinted moisturizer or beauty creams which is like a moisturizer, but with more color with better coverage. that's good to start with buzz it looks natural. >> instead of using too much. it gives an even skin tone. it's good to start off for teens and younger girls. also eye liner. when i say eye liner, i suggest starting with a blue or brown. don't go to black. that gets intense. >> don't take it all the way up. they will wear it all the way up there. >> no, no. >> let me ask you about a few dos and don'ts. this is a big deal for kids. i will srt with you. hair ribbons or bows? is that a do or a don't? >> that's a don't. that's like if you are a 5. >> maybe for preschool or kindergarten. what about using color to make a

statement? we were talking about that with make up? >> for teens, definitely a don't. that's more for when it's an evening and you want to make your look more sexy you go with a colored lip. for teens going to school, leave it alone. >> bright lipstick or multicolored eye shadow, a do or a don't? >> i would say don't. >> i have to ask about shoulder pieces. you are wearing one there. >> i have a nasty one. >> the thing looks heavy. >> it's not. >> for makes a lot of noise. is that in? a do or a don't for back to school. >> i would suggest this for everyone. you have to be fabulous for something like this. >> you wouldn't recommend this for back to school? >> not for everyone, no. >> we will put your skills to the test.

we know you have skills. we have someone who is going back to school and we are going to let you spend time with her and show her how to recreate the same look later. a lot of us leave the salon like you guys made us as fabulous as mac ray and we can't recreate it. show us a bit of a makeover. she is looking so cute. that's katherine. we will let you work on her and check back with you in a little bit. all right? see you both a little bit later. thank you. >> so the aclu is suing the state of michigan comparing a school system to a third world nation. we will explain. [ female announcer ] research suggests the health of our cells plays a key role

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[ male announcer ] even the planet has an olympic dream. dow is proud to support that dream by helping provide greener, more sustainable solutions from the olympic village to the stadium. solutionism. the new optimism.™ ♪ this dream it is being called the first of its kind lawsuit. the american civil liberties is suing the state of michigan for failing to teach students how to read. you heard me, how to read. the aclu filed a lawsuit on behalf of nearly 1,000 students attending public schools in highland park, michigan. the students there are struggling with basic literacy with eighth graders who are reading at a third grade level. contributor steve perry is joining me now from hartford,

connecticut. steve, good morning to you. i want to show you the writing samples in the lawsuit. here's one. take a look at this with me. you can make the school gooder by getting people that would do the job that is pay for. get a football tame for the kinds and other jam tacher for the school. a lot of tacher. there so many spelling and graf mat cal errors and this was written by an eighth grader. what do you make of this? >> nothing about that surprises me at all. 40% of sixth graders are coming in from two to four grade levels below. that's not the parent's fault, it's the school's fault. it's unconscionable that educators get paid to educate and don't educate. i believe this is easily among the most important in our generation. >> you have to wonder how the student even got to that grade

given that this is the level they are at. >> because of complete educational neglect. in my book push comes to shove, i have a chapter where i said about two years ago someone is going to sue the district for real this time. not just for redistricting or something like that, but someone is going to sue for damages because there accountable damages to children who cannot read, write, and compute. we have been able to factor that overtime. a child can lose up to $2 million because they can't read or write. >> by 11 go ahead grade when a child should be college-ready, 90% failed reading and 97% failed math and% failed writing and 100% failed the social studies portions. how would this compare to the rest of thecountry? >> in many communities this is

standard. what happens every day is that parents entrust me and my colleagues with their children. with the full expectation that we would teach them the skills we believe as the professionals that children need to know. however during this time that children have gone to the 11th grade not just in detroit, but all over the country. teachers are getting paid and getting raises and becoming tenured and children are going to schools in which they know how to read, but the children being paid it educate are not. it is criminal. absolutely criminal. >> michigan governor rick snyder spoke to them and they wouldn't comment on the case. they told cnn this. everything we have done and are doing is to ensure that the kids of highland park schools get the education they need and deserve. based on the statistics, steve, that you heard here, do you think they are getting the education they deserve? >> nope. how on earth can anyone, i don't care what their job see a 90% fail rate? that's absolute failure and say

anything other than this is a catastrophic failure and these children need to be put in a situation where they can go to good schools now. not education reform and not gove categorically moving these children out of the failed schools tomorrow. >> i want you to listen to what one mother had to say about this. >> i have an 11th grade daughter in highland park reading on a third and 5th great math level assessment test. the district is not where it needs to be. >> for really is shocking that this is going on there. there is a line between parents's responsibilities and school. what should the parent be doing? they must see their child is at this level. >> what are if you were a parent who went to the same school system. how much further ahead could you be? i am the principal of my son's

school and they come home, one of them is in 5th grade and is in 2nd. sometimes i don't understand the homework. i have to ask for help. i am a person who has understanding of education and there some subjects i struggle with. we expect often parents to know things they are not educated to know. we can tell the parents to sit down and have your child do the homework, but if it is insufficient and doesn't train the children, the parents wouldn't know. put it this way. if you don't speak spanish and your child takes spanish, how are you going to know if your child is doing well in spanish? >> we can point fingers, but it's the kid who is suffer no matter what. >> that's absolutely it. here's the problem. at the end of the day, these buildings and facilities and organizations are here to serve the children. the children of the community. they are not serving the children. they are only servinghe adults. that to me is a crime. >> steve perry, as always, nice to see you. thank you very much.

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runner, they are as much about defying the odds as winning gold. his name is oscar pistorius. the double amputee became the first athlete in history to compete in both the pair olympics and olympics. the story is he placed second in the qualifying heat and will head into the semi finals tomorrow. another must watch today involves this guy. u.s. swimming legend michael phelps will compete in his final olympic race. the men's medley relay. despite winning gold for the 17th time, he promised to retire after this competition. this got us thinking with all these amazing stories, do you have a favorite star in the olympics? it can be anyone. we would love to know who you think is the star. tweet me and i will read your responses later on this morning. >> checking stories, this

convenience store clerk in texas has no idea what's coming. this suv crashed through the front door and the driver blous into the clerk and the clerk stands up and brushing it off and walks away. amazing. the driver was drunk and hit the accelerator instead of the brake. the clerk is now back at work after suffering injuries to his head and his arm. now check out this surveillance video from garden grove, california. you can see the suspects running in and point their guns and watch what happens here. signal a big about-face. what you can't see is the 65-year-old woman behind the counter who stood her ground and shot at the robbers. and take another look here. see that guy on the right? he is growling and standing his ground too. if you think these guys were running fast, take a look.

at the cincinnati zoo, you are watching a world record in the making. the cheetah named sarah ran 100 meters in 5.95 seconds. that makes sarah the fastest land mammal on record. if you are wondering, that amounts to a sprint of 61 miles per hour. that's as fast as i drive. maybe a little bit faster. i'm always going the speed limit. it's one year since the u.s. lost its stellar aaa credit rating. what is the u.s. doing to get it back? we will take a closer look. this man is about to be the millionth customer. would you mind if i go ahead of you? instead we had someone go ahead of him and win fifty thousand dollars. congratulations you are our one millionth customer. people don't like to miss out on money that should have been theirs. that's why at ally we have the raise your rate 2-year cd.

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